"An Il-76 plane took off from the Ramenskoye airfield in the Moscow region at around 09:00, Moscow time, on Tuesday with 20 tonnes of relief supplies" Rossius said noting that the supplies were mostly canned food and sugar.

"On the way back, the plane will collect Russians and citizens of former Soviet republics wishing to leave that country. We estimate some 180 people will leave Syria, including more than 100 Russians," the spokeswoman said.